The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-06-16

MOuey tu1t 0OGA p p ID SMOKE
Whether tobacco is a luxury or ne
cessityin our daily economyis disputed
question; but. judging from the 1uanti-
~ annually consumed. it would seem
that tobacco is very generally used by
the people Of the United States, and
that it must be necessity to no incon-
siderable portion Of them. Those who
have not analysed the figures collected
by the Internal Revenue Department
have no conception Of the extent to
which tobacco is used in this country.
Tea is classified as one Of the daily ne
cessaries Of life and enters into very
general use. yet compared with the an
nual consumption Of tea that of tobac-
co presents very remarkable con-
trast. The importation Of tea into the
United States during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1886, was sO,399. s61
pounds, the appraised value of which
was $l6.OOO,OO0. Assuming that two
thirds of the 60.OOO,OOO of people OF
the United States are adults and con-
sumers Of tea, the per capita consump-
ton would be about two pounds and
the per capita expenditure of money
on this account about 40 cents.
Compare these figures with those
showing the annual consumption of to-
bacco. During the last fiscal year the
quantity of manufactured tobacco upon
which tax was paid Isl, 1926. SO pounds,
and rs tax is not paid until the tobacco
i to be withdrawn from bond for con-
sumption those figures may be assumed
to represent the quantity actually used
Snuff and cigars are not included in
these figures. which are confined to
manufactured tobacco prepared in plug
and packages for chewing and smok-
ing. Assuming that the same proper
ton Of the people use tobacco that use
tea it will be found that the per capita
consumption of this article is three and
one-half pounds against two pounds Of
tea. The amount of tax paid on manu-
featured tobacco last year was Sl4, S35.
O95--a sum nearly equal to the aggre-
gate appraised value of AL the tea inn
ported during that period.
The figures showing the number Of
cigars annually consumed are equally
interesting. Cigars upon which tax
was paid last year foot up 3.51O.s9s,-
4ss. The average length of cigars is
four inches. If the cigars upon which
tax was paid last year were laid singly
in row they wouldextcnd around the
earth nine times. Laid in a straight
line they would extend 22l ,64S miles.
Distributed equally among the entire
population Of the United States each
person would receive iifty-eight and !.
half cigars. If ii be assumed that one
half of the people smoke the per capita
consumption was equal to III cigars.
The consumption of cigarets also
presents interesting figures. and
shows that the percentage Of increase
is greater in cigarets than in cigars
Tax was paid last year on 1910. 961. !
$50 cigarets, an increase of 252. 2l2. l.
over the preceding year. while the
increase in cigars consumed during the
same period was Isl .925.S55 The
amount of tax collected last year on
cigars was $lO.532. sO4. and on cigarets
$655, $50. The total amount collected
during the year on cigars and tobacco
through the Internal Revenue Depart
ment was *27,9O7.3 1868.
In addition to this amount there wa.
collected through the custom-house for
duties on imported tobacco and cigar,
$s,311,114. Adding these two items
gives $36. S.476 as the aggregate of the
tax paid last year to the Government
for cigars and tobacco, which is equal
to tax Of 60 cents per capita upon the
entire population. 1t is within bounds
to estimate the value of the tobacco and
cigars consumed, at four times the
amount of the tax paid. On this basis
the people of the United States paid
last year for these articles $l81, O92,.
$50, or more than $3 for every man
woman, and child in the country.
The appraised value Of all the coffee
imported for the year ending June 30
1886, was $42,675, 600, and of the tea
&15,77O,827. For tax alone on oul
chewing and smoking there was ex
pended over $50, 10000 and for thu
| articles themselves exclusive of the tax
about $145, 100000. These facts and
figures would seem to justify the CLAIM
that tobacco has become to our peopl,
as great necessary as tea and coffee